Wednesday, January 27, 2010

What's wrong with me? I'm in such a knittery funk. The only thing I've touched in the last week has been my current bus sock, and that only while on the bus (go figure). When at home, nothing. I got nada umph, keine lust, "if I touch it it will burn" syndrome. le sigh

Monday, January 18, 2010

Here is my feline helper. Spooky loves to curl up in my lap while I knit. She's never been interested in the yarn itself, but she likes to play with my bamboo dpns. Some even have a few kitty gnaw marks on them. Spooky shows no interest in metal dpns; perhaps she knows that they'll blunt her teeth.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Nope, the wing can't be reattached and saved. I was able to thread the lifeline along the side of the middle section with no problem.

Then I began to cut the linking threads, one by one. As I went, I tried to pick up each stitch with a lifeline. The "uh, this ain't gonna work" feeling began shortly thereafter.

Due to the way the wing is built up on the middle section, on an angle, I had no line of live stitches to pick up. Each little fringe bit knit back into the row itself. Even if I had been able to pick up and begin knitting, those fringes would be there, with no way to really hide them.

Luckily, I have plenty of yarn and beads left, so it's off to re-knit. This time, I'll put the wing on the right way up!!!

The holes were successfully repaired, so at least I have that to keep my spirits up.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Wings of a Dream is complete. I am so very happy to be finished with it - my daughter is really pleased, and that means the world to me. Next comes the soaking and blocking. Well, after some major surgery and repair work. Read on.....

It began in January 2008, with many trials and tribulations. The yarn is like thread, even if it is super soft to work with. Finding the right needles was a problem, but finally it came together. Then we came home one day to find that the dog had gotten into it and ruined one of the skeins of alpaca. I thought I had gotten away with it, I could have sworn I had. I checked the stole over very carefully. Not quite carefully enough:

The holes will have to be repaired.

But that's not the part that is really devastating. When I laid it out to take a pre-blocked finished photo, my heart missed a beat, my stomach flipped, and I couldn't believe my eyes.

Can you see the problem?

Yep, that's right. I got the second wing on backwards. Backwards!!!! Argh. My hubby, bless his heart, asked how much I would have to rip back to fix that. I couldn't help it, maniacal laughter erupted from me. Rip back? It would have been the entire second wing. I'll have to just put it aside for a day or so, think about how to detach the wing, flip it over, and reattach it. I'll post over at Ravelry for hints and suggestions.

My daughter laughed and said she would fly in circles the way it is now. She made me feel okay after that. I'm still going to fix it, but I'll do it with a smile on my face.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Albeit a tiny bit after the fact. I'm really hoping that 2010 treats the country better than 2009 did. I don't make resolutions, but I do try to make each day count, and to set myself goals that aren't outrageous, goals that I have a chance of achieving. I try to remember to hold friends and family close and to cherish their presence in my life.

Hubby, Daughter, and I were invited to a New Year's Eve party. (Son is in town on college break, but didn't want to get out and about; we left him at home.) The last few years we have holed up in the house, not going out, and have really enjoyed a lower key celebration. But this year, we decided to enjoy the evening with friends. We had a good time at the party, good food, good drink, and good company. We did go home shortly before midnight so we could toast in the new year with our Son, and that was very nice.

Our weather has broken more records. Not only did we have our very first blizzard warning and it snowed on Christmas, but these last few days have brought us some of the coldest temps we've had since 1998. School was cancelled yesterday and today because officials were worried about the kids who had to wait outside for buses or who walk to school: frostbite is a real danger with the below zero wind chills we're getting.

I'm only 7, yes, SEVEN, pattern rows away from being finished with my daughter's Wings of a Dream stole. If I just knit one or two rows (plus the returning wrong side purl rows) a night, I'll be finished before the end of this month. Yay! It's turning out gorgeous, I'm very happy with it. It's certainly been a labor of love. It's something that I hope she keeps forever to remind her of me after I've gone to the great LYS in the sky. Something that she might be able to pass on to her daughter.